A Saint's Revenge
by An Obscure Name
Summary: It has been a decade since Jem left Shanghai and came to his new family, and all is well. That is, until an old friend arrives and presents him with an opportunity for revenge against the demon who stole his past and scarred his future. While Jem struggles in secret to enact a revenge long overdue, his friends attempt to save him from himself. Set between CAngel and CPrince
1. Chapter 1

"You're letting your guard down again."

Will adjusted his stance with a sigh and leveled his seraph blade. "It's called baiting the enemy, Jem."

"The enemy is myself, Will, and I cannot be baited." Jem said with an exasperated smile. Tessa smiled too. She was seated on a bench that ran along the far wall of the training room, a mélange of weapons suspended behind her on fixed wooden racks. The two boys had casually invited her to sit in on one of their training sessions, and she had obliged, although she suspected that Will just wanted to show off. Still, she had to admit there was something captivating about watching the two boys duel. Will and Jem moved towards each other again, testing the air with the thin edge of their blades.

Will was the first to advance, as he had been the last three rounds. His long legs brought him forward in one stride, and his blade shot out through the air. Tessa couldn't help but hold her breath as the metal edge gleamed just inches away from Jem's chest. Then there was the shear of metal striking metal and Jem deflected his thrust with a precise, powerful stroke. On and on this went, the two boys laying into each other with savage, blindingly fast swings. Tessa watched the way sweat shined on Will's brow and Jem's silver hair was constantly falling into his eyes. She didn't realize she was staring until Will's blue eyes lit on hers, burning with the adrenaline that was flooding his veins.

Tessa flushed and quickly seized up the book she had brought with her, burying her face and her thoughts between the pages. She succeeded in distracting herself in the plight of the novel's young duchess with a potentially murderous husband for quite some time, until a resounding clang made her look sharply tip of Will's blade hovered centimeters away from the hollow of Jem's throat. The other blade was still spinning across the floor from Will's disarming blow.

"That it should come to this!" Will declared, grinning down at his friend. Jem chuckled, throwing his hands up in the air.

"I don't think that quote is entirely accurate in this setting." Tessa murmured, her eyes not leaving the pages. Will turned on her, his blade flashing towards her.

"Fie upon thee, slanderer!" he boomed, and was about to say something further when the doors to the training room suddenly opened. Charlotte stood in the doorway, her thin lips turned down into a frown. Will sheathed the blade at his hip, watching as Jem stooped to retrieve his own weapon and dust it off on his shirt sleeve.

"What's happened?" Jem asked calmly, taking in Charlotte's expression.

"It's not – well, someone's here to see you, James." she said carefully. There was nothing in her tone to hint that there was a problem, but Charlotte had used his full name, and that was generally reserved for troublesome events.

"Anyone we know?" Will asked, clearly already bored with the whole situation.

"No-one I've ever seen, but he is a Shadowhunter. He came right up and knocked on the door." Her face was very calm, but Tessa noticed she had her hands firmly clasped in front of her. Will must have noticed this as well, because his eyes narrowed very slightly.

"I don't have any acquaintances in London outside of the Institute…" Jem observed. Though Tessa knew it to be true, it struck her as a rather sad thing to admit. Charlotte was silent for a moment, and when she spoke her voice caught slightly.

"I don't think he is from London."

Will and Tessa both turned to watch Jem, sensing that there was some layer to this conversation they were not meant to understand. Jem was watching Charlotte's face, brows pressed in confusion. Then, slowly, his eyes widened. His gaze grew distant, his jaw rigid.

"He's still outside?" Jem asked, his voice low.

"Sophie brought him into the foyer. He's a Shadowhunter, we have no right to keep him out."

Jem slipped from the room without a word, brushing past Charlotte, who suddenly looked very resigned. Will and Tessa exchanged surprised glances.

"Who is it?" Will yelled after him, marching toward the hallway with Tessa close behind.

"Jem?" Tessa murmured.

Jem made his way down from the attic and through the winding corridors to the foyer. His mind was spinning; he was startled to discover that in his distraction he had taken a wrong turn and become temporarily lost. He felt a pang of guilt for fleeing the training room wordlessly, but the prospect of who the visitor might be was so troubling that his mind was soon elsewhere. _I do not know … and yet I hope… _he thought disjointedly. By the time he reached the doors that opened into the foyer his nerves were alight with anticipation, yet his hand hovered on the doorknob. A voice drifted through the oak panels, terrifyingly familiar.

"…such a beautiful church, too. Our own Institute is based out of an old Buddhist temple. It's just as grand, but this Gothic architecture is a thing all its own…"

Memories flashed through Jem's mind, sparked by the lilt of the man's voice and the dance of his vowels. The summer sun shining, and a young boy laughing at his side. Behind him he could hear footsteps fast approaching, no doubt Will and Tessa hot on his heels. He seized the knob with slender fingers and opened the door tentatively.

Two figures stood in the foyer, just before the fire that sizzled warmly in the grate. As the door let out a gentle protest they both turned. One was Sophie, smiling a bit nervously. The other was a man the likes of which the London Institute had never seen.

Author's Note

Hey all! Thanks for reading the first chapter! I know what you're thinking: "Please, God, don't let it be an OC." Let me tell you right now... it is. BUT I hate OC's as much as the next person so never fear, his purpose is only to carry the plot forward, not to create some kind of author's fantasy ;P Please review, I love any and all help/ feedback/ hateful criticism! Next chapter will be up in a jiffy just giving it a final glance over for errors :3


	2. Chapter 2

CHINESE CRASH COURSE

wo de peng you - my friend

Hao jui bu jian - long time no see

Yihan - sorry

xie xie - thanks

(If you speak Chinese and these are wrong feel free to correct me!)

Will and Tessa rounded the corner and came to a screeching halt. Jem stood frozen in the doorway, waiting on a held breath. Tessa followed his gaze.

The stranger had shockingly long hair for a man, all tied tightly back into a single long strand like a girl's. His skin was a warm brown and his eyes slanted and dark as he took in the three of them. Though he was dressed in mundane fashion, the curling tails of marks were visible at his wrists and the collar of his shirt.

"Wo de peng you." Jem whispered dreamily.

"Hao jui bu jian." The man replied, a straight, white smile stretching across his face. Jem rushed forward without a moment's hesitation and wrapped the stranger in a suffocating embrace. The man welcomed him, eyes shining as if tears waited there. Tessa, Will and Sophie could only gawk at the sudden outburst of affection. The stranger laughed.

"It is good to see you old friend." He said fondly, ruffling Jem's silver hair.

"I take it you know the man, then." Charlotte said tentatively, entering the foyer just behind Will.

"Yes… yes." Jem said breathlessly, pulling away but keeping his hand on his friend's shoulder. "This is Ying Wei."

Tessa turned to Will to see if he was just as startled as she, but he wasn't watching Jem. She followed his gaze to Charlotte, and found herself wandering why the head of the Institute looked so nervous.

An hour later they were all seated in the parlor around the newcomer, ensnared in one of the many stories Ying Wei had shared of childhood.

"I told him plain as anything, 'Don't go over there! Those are warlocks!' And what does young James Herondale do?" Ying Wei exclaimed, tossing his hands up in mock frustration.

"I walked right up." James finished, smiling shyly. Ying Wei shook his head with a smile.

"The Downworlders thought it was so funny that they sent him home with a whole bag of Parthuux scales. You can imagine the look on his parent's face." The Shadowhunters laughed loudly, and Tessa discovered she clearly did not get the joke. Ying Wei leaned back into the wide armchair with a smile.

After the two young men had embraced, Ying Wei had been introduced as Jem's childhood friend, his greatest companion in Shanghai. The Shadowhunters of the Institute had been in rapt conversation with him ever since, except for Jessamine who was knitting sullenly by the window and Henry who was in the basement doing god-knows-what.

Tessa straightened her skirts for no particular reason and met Jem's eyes. He flashed a smile. He looked very happy, perhaps happier than she had seen him in a long while. Yet somewhere in the depths of those silver irises was a hint of melancholy. She was roused from her thoughts when Sophie brought in a tray of tea, which Ying Wei politely declined.

"British tea, can't stand the stuff." He wrinkled his nose. "Too bland."

"You get used to it." Jem shrugged. The other Shadowhunters of the Institute gazed on. Ying Wei's presence filled Jem with an energy they had never seen in the calm, introverted boy. It wasn't as if he suddenly became boisterous like Will, but he seemed to glow with a new-found enthusiasm.

"How was your journey?" Charlotte asked politely.

"Ah…" he folded his hands on his lap and sighed, "Exciting. Made use of a bit of warlock magic. A quick pop through a doorway and suddenly I'm in London."

"And why are you here?"

Will had said it casually, but he was leaning forward in his seat, fixing Ying Wei with a look that was anything but careless. Charlotte shot him a warning glance. Jem kept his gaze focused on his tea. For a moment Ying Mei was silent, then he smiled.

"Unfortunately I have official business to attend to here in London. I was only stopping by to speak to James." Will sank back into his chair, face stony. Tessa wondered briefly if he was jealous, but the idea was so childish she couldn't bring herself to believe it.

"You're more than welcome to board here in the Institute while you're in London. Our doors are open to all Shadowhunters." Charlotte said, but she spoke as if she were reciting verse, not extending an invitation.

"Xie xie." Ying Wei said, and then catching himself corrected, "Thank you, that would be splendid. You never know what kind of creatures dwell in mundane inns."

"We have our fair share of creatures here as well." Jessamine growled, the first time she had spoken since saying a brief and uncorteous hello to Ying Wei. Tessa found this very strange, considering how Jessamine was usually so eager to welcome any new man in the hopes he would fall madly in love with her. Maybe she wasn't interested in foreigners.

As the night wore on the residents of the Institute went about their business as usual. After all the idea of having new residents was not unusual; the Institute was basically a very exclusive hotel. Will was the first to leave, feigning exhaustion from an earlier battle. Later on in the night there was a great blast from Henry's workshop in the basement, and Charlotte went very white and excused herself. After a few minutes Sophie re-entered the room, her apron sticky with an unpleasant looking substance.

"Mr. Wei, I'll show you to your room if you like. Mrs. Branwell is… indisposed." She said hesitantly. Jem and Ying exchanged a glance before Jem interjected.

"We're going to stay up for a bit. I'll show him to the guest room myself." Jem said. Sophie looked as if she would object, but simply straightened with a nod and left. Tessa realized suddenly she was the only one left in the room with the two boys, and it made her feel strangely uncomfortable.

"I don't think we were introduced." Ying smiled at her, inclining his head.

"Tessa Gray. Pleasure to meet you."

"Ms. Gray…" he looked her over once in a particularly unpleasant way, "you are not Nephilim."

Tessa blanched momentarily but Jem quickly recovered for her.

"No, she is not," he interjected, "but she resides here nonetheless."

Ying Wei must have noticed the tension he created for he quickly added:

"I meant nothing by it, of course. I was just interested."

There was a precarious silence. Jem cleared his throat.

"Tessa…" he began gently, "perhaps Ying Wei and I could speak in private for a little while?"

The question was very polite, as Jem always was, but Tessa's cheeks still stung with embarrassment.

"Of course," she murmured, gathering her skirts and standing. She fled swiftly from the room before Jem could see the red flush in her cheeks.

The door closed with a very soft click. In the silence that followed Jem leaned back in his seat with an unhappy sigh. Ying Wei stood slowly and crossed the room, stopping in front of one of the small, soot-streaked windows of the parlor.

"While it is good to see you, I take it there's another reason for you being here." Jem began cautiously. Ying Wei traced his nails along the window pane, silent.

"I am here to extend an offer to you from the Shanghai Institute and Benedict Lightwood." He said, very softly, as if the words carried great weight.

"Since when have they been working together?" Jem replied, sitting forward. He had known Ying Wei couldn't possibly be here just to catch up, but it still stung to know he was here on business and not just for the sake of an old friendship.

"Since Yanluo has threatened to return to our realm."

Jem's stomach dropped. At the windowsill, Ying Wei's hands were fists against the cold glass. He turned to Jem, his eyes chips of granite in the dark room.

"He's coming to London, James. Yanluo is coming here. "

The moment the door snapped closed behind Tessa she balled her hands into fists and let out a breath. She couldn't believe she had gotten so flustered over their dismissal. After all, it had been a decade since the two boys had seen each other, of course they would want some time to catch up. She decided she would go to the library, curl up with a novel and put her mind to something else.

"Kicked you out, did they?"

She gasped, spinning to see Will. His ear was pressed to the wall, face screwed up in concentration.

"Will!" she scolded, "How perfectly rude of you!"

"A bit unusual of Jem…" he continued, as if she hadn't spoken. Her cheeks flared.

"He hasn't seen Mr. Wei since he was a child, of course he wants some time alone." She explained for the benefit of both herself and Will. He said nothing in response, clearly concentrating on whatever was taking place in the parlor. "Really Will, you're acting like a jealous child. Jem is allowed to have other friends." His eyes were narrowed meanly as they fell on her, and Tessa suppressed a smug little grin at having roused his temper.

"I am not jealous." He said.

"Prove it then." She smiled. At first he did not move. Then, slowly, he stepped away from the wall, seized Tessa by the hand and led her across the foyer and around to the stairwell. She would have resisted but for the soft pressure of Will's warm palm against hers and the urgency it conveyed.

"Don't you think," he began, sitting down on the bottom step and tugging her down with him, "it's a little strange that Ying Wei chose to come only now?" he asked quietly.

"Well he has to come sometime hasn't he?" Tessa said shrewdly, a bit flustered by Will's hand grasping her own.

"Tessa, Jem left Shanghai when he was very young. His friend could have come to see him anytime."

"They were both young. Who would let their child travel to London?

"Shadowhunter parents would. A boy as young as 8 is already equipped to slay a demon. Traveling to London pales in comparison. Honestly Tessa..." he sighed. Tessa's eyes narrowed and she wrenched her hand from Will's grip.

"What am I supposed to think?! There is nothing common or predictable about Shadowhunters!" she said spitefully. Will looked down at his now empty hand and back up at her, clearly surprised. "If you are so keen for me to see things your way, please explain." she finished, unable to stay mad when Will's blue eyes were gazing so deeply into her own.

He nodded slowly, eyes gleaming in the yellow lamplight.

"All that was besides the point. When Jem… when he came to London we were told he would not be contacted by anyone back in Shanghai. He was in such bad shape that they feared letters or visits would bring back unpleasant memories. Best for him to start a life out from scratch, they said."

"You're saying something has changed."

"Yes, most definitely. "

"But Will," Tessa interjected, "maybe they've just decided he's recovered enough to see his old friends again. It's been almost a decade. "

Will glared up at her, blue eyes blazing.

"Do you think ten years is enough? Do you think you could ever recover from what Jem endured? " He hissed. Tessa shifted away, surprised by the ferocity in his voice. He gripped her hand again, pressing his thumb into her knuckles painfully.

"If you watched your parents be murdered, could you forget?"

Jem sat ramrod straight in his armchair, watching his friend by the window. His heart was hammering at his ribcage, but he swallowed and spoke carefully.

"You're sure of this?" he said with remarkable calm. Ying Wei continued to gaze out the window. Jem wondered if his friend was afraid to face him after all that had happened. He had been there for Jem after his rescue, letting him sleep in his bed and share his family as the Institute was put back together. He had even been at the Institute hours before the attack. They had both gone through so much together.

"We've gathered information regarding a cult group of warlocks and Buddhist priests attempting a summoning."

"Mundanes and warlocks working together?" Jem asked incredulously.

"Unlikely but true. We think it's a way to make it harder for them to be caught and convicted. Any shadowhunters dealing with the issue have to work with the Accords _and_ our laws about mundanes."

"How did you find out about this?" Jem asked, trying to fight down the rising panic in his chest.

"We were tracking them down over the past months. Naturally, Yanluo being a greater demon, we place a great deal of importance on keeping him in his own realm. A week ago they disappeared from the country. We sent word to the Consul, and he told us the group in question had been seen skulking around the London East End." Ying Wei turned, finally, and looked at Jem with a kind of brilliant hope. "Then he told me that the boy who Yanluo scarred was in London as well. "

"You didn't know before." Jem stated, shocked. He had always assumed his friend had at least been told, but apparently the Silent Brothers had sent him away in secret. Ying Wei turned back to the window, jaw set.

"I did not. In any case, due to the Beijing institute's... history with the demon, we have been allowed to insist in the investigation even though it is here in London. Naturally, we extended that offer to you."

There was silence.

"Jian?" he called, turning to face his old friend.

Jem was hunched over, head pressed between his hands, fingers laced through his thin silver hair. Ying Wei sped swiftly over to his friend.

"Yihan, Jian, that was foolish of me." He sat beside Jem, pressing a hand against his back. "We won't talk of this now." Jem lifted his head slowly, face surprisingly calm. Only the depths of his silver eyes displayed his distress.

"Now is a time for catching up." Ying Wei continued soothingly. "You look well. Your hair and your eyes, these are… new. But you look well." Jem nodded slowly, sweeping the silver strands from his forehead self-consciously.

"I feel well. London is good to me." He smiled sadly.

"Do you miss home?" Ying Wei ventured.

"My parents were my home. Where we lived did not matter." He paused, but then began again. "Yes. I miss the sunshine and the way the sun shone off the mounta-"

A cough tore its way up through his throat.

"Jian…?" Ying Wei asked cautiously. Jem's hand clutched his throat, flat nails pressing into the white skin.

"Will." He whispered, "Get Will."

What do you propose we do?" Tessa asked cautiously. She had stood and was now leaning on the banister, looking down at Will where he crouched on a stair.

"First we figure out for what purpose Ying Wei is here. I have a hard time imagining Jem won't tell me himself." Will added confidently. It wasn't a boast, Tessa realized, just a fact of being parabatai.

"And what am I supposed to do?" Tessa said, not without a hint of spite. He opened his mouth to speak, but a sound slipped from the other room, silencing him. Will turned as sharply as if a door had been blown off its hinges. Tessa didn't recognize the sound until its second occurrence. Will lunged from the stairs and reached the door, flinging it wide.

Just feet from him on the inside of the sitting room stood Ying Wei, looking very shocked. A brief look of suspicion passed over his features as he saw how quickly they had reached the parlor, but he said nothing of it, and Will was no longer listening besides. He had crossed quickly to where Jem sat, jaw clenched in pain. He had a handkerchief pressed to his lips, and it shook in his hand.

"It's fine, Will." He insisted, voice muffled through the thin fabric. Will seized his wrist and pulled the handkerchief away; it was spotless. He let out a terse breath just as Ying Wei cleared his throat, breaking free of his shock.

"This is my fault." He admitted, looking pained. "I seem to have upset him. " Will shot him a baleful look.

"I think it's best if you head to your room for the night. Tessa will show you where to go." Each word with an edge like a knife and though Tessa wished to argue she dare not. Ying Wei nodded slowly and followed Tessa out, who could do nothing but glare at Will before closing the doors behind her.

Will settled himself down next to Jem, placing a hand on his knee. The silence was broken only by the crackle of the fire in the grate.

"I really am fine, Will." Jem said softly, tucking the clean cloth back in the pocket of his slacks and leaning back in his seat. Will didn't look anymore relieved, but he removed his hand and folded it in his own lap.

"What were you two on about then that was so confidential?" Will asked, ever so lightly, but Jem had known him long enough to sense the undercurrent in his voice.

"You've been spying again haven't you?" Jem answered before Will could open his mouth to object, or rather to lie. "He's here on official business for Benedict Lightwood." Jem said carefully, twisting the pendant at his throat subconsciously.

"Why call in someone from Beijing?" Will laughed, so casually that If Jem had not known the nature of his parabatai he would not have guessed it to be an interrogation.

"You know how Lightwoods are." Jem replied, equally jovial.

"Gabriel, yes." Will consented, eyes flashing, "but the head of the Enclave wouldn't commit to something so,"

"Will please." Jem interjected. His hands were shaking faintly again, Will observed. His friend sighed, letting the pendant swing free. "It's hardly important. Now if you'll excuse me I've tired myself out and I think I'll go rest now." Jem stood, and Will gazed up at his brother-in-arms with a sort of disturbed satisfaction. He stopped before the open door, one hand pressed against the wooden frame, and turned back.

"Goodnight Will." Jem smiled, a smile that Will knew so well, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Will slumped back into his chair, alone now in the sitting room.

"Alright…" he murmured to himself, pressing his folded hands against each other forcefully.

"Alright."

AUTHORS NOTE

Next chapter will have some Jem angst hehe :) if you can find it in your kind hearts to review, please do!


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note:

MAGNUS BANE TIME

Also, forced to use () to block off sections cause the dashes aren't saving for some reason :/

() () ()

Tessa picked at her sausages absently where they sat on the little white plate in front of her. On the other end of the table, Henry was spilling the details of some new idea of his to Charlotte, who was pretending to listen by bobbing her head up and down. Ying Wei, unaccustomed to the change of time between China and Europe, had woken staggeringly early and was on his third plate of breakfast. Agatha, rather than being angry, was absolutely thrilled by his appetite, and much to Tessa and Jess' horror was in the process of seducing him with a tray of biscuits. He picked out two and politely sent her away pouting. Jessamine muttered something under her breath, clearly relieved. At that moment the door to the dining room swung open. Tessa and Ying Wei glanced up sharply, prompting Charlotte to look between the two suspiciously.

"I love the smell of sausages in the morning." Will exclaimed, striding into the room and pulling out a chair in one fluid movement. Next to Tessa, Jessamine rolled her eyes and ripped one of the meaty links in half ferociously. "What _do _you put in these things that make them so damningly good?" Will hollered toward the kitchen.

"Wouldn't you like to know…" Agatha replied from somewhere unseen. Tessa was still getting used to the way Shadowhunter servants were allowed to behave toward their masters. Will sank into his chair with an ungracious huff. His eyes skimmed over Tessa's briefly and then darted back down to the empty tablecloth in front of him.

Last night Tessa had knocked on Will's door in the wee hours of the morning, pale and shocked. She had told Will briefly about what she had witnessed of Jem's attack. He had tried to force his way past her to ensure his friend was okay, but she had reassured him that Jem was fine now. Afterwards Will had become very withdrawn and sent her away from his room. She was surprised to see him acting so… typically, this morning. Then again, she had discovered in her short time at the Institute that Will was very, very good at concealing his emotions.

"Oh please Will." Jessamine muttered crossly, "It's just all the mashed up disgusting bits of meat she was too lazy to throw away." Charlotte shot her a warning glance, but Agatha clearly hadn't heard and was already wailing some high-pitched chantey of woe as she set a plate down in front of Will.

"I'm sorry Mister Wei," Henry said fretfully, having finally returned to reality, "this is a daily ordeal at the Institute." Ying Wei had been watching the events before him unfold in quiet amusement, but now he laughed out loud.

"It is no different in Beijing. I have three siblings, you know. We squabble endlessly." His story was interrupted by the squeal of the door opening. This time all of the Shadowhunters turned to see Jem standing in the doorway, smiling meekly. The only trace of the events of last night were the dark rings under his grey eyes. Tessa chanced a glance at Will. His face had fallen considerably now that he was no longer the center of attention, revealing just how worn he looked.

"Good morning." Jem said brightly.

"Good morning." the others replied in succession.

"You just missed Will and Jessamine's morning argument." Charlotte informed him.

"I'm sure there will be another one over dinner." He settled himself in a chair next to Will. Charlotte's eyes flickered between the two as they sat in tense silence beside each other. Charlotte was a clever woman, Tessa knew. She would realize something was not right.

"Mr. Wei," she began, folding her hands in front of her on the table, "I'm sorry I couldn't say a proper good night yesterday. Something came up." She shot a glance at Henry, who cringed like a beat dog. "I hope you and Jem got some time to catch up."

"Yes, it was nice to speak to him again." He smiled briefly.

"Charlotte." Jem spoke suddenly, startling everyone. "Perhaps I could give Ying Wei a tour of London today." Charlotte looked surprised, but Ying Wei even more so.

"I have no objections." she said finally. "Just don't be gone long. We never know when something will come up." Her words hung ominously in the air. For Shadowhunters, a pleasant day trip and a massacre could happen in the space of a few hours. Will straightened suddenly, knees banging the underside of the table.

"That's funny. Tessa and I were planning on going out today as well, on another matter." he said, grinning. Tessa looked up blankly.

"Is that so?" Charlotte asked, looking at Tessa suspiciously. Tessa met Will's gaze, his blue eyes insistent.

"Yes of course. How silly of me to have forgotten." she said with a weak smile. Charlotte sighed.

"I really don't think it's wise for us all to leave the Institute unguarded." she said softly, looking to Henry as if for reassurance. Henry, however, was gazing intently at a book he had brought to the table with him that was covered in various unpleasant looking stains.

"It wasn't a question Charlotte." Will replied colorlessly. Her lips thinned. The dining room was quiet. Even Henry looked up, although probably only due to the unnatural silence.

"Very well, Will. Make it quick."

() () ()

"I understand the urgency of our venture, but it was really quite rude the way you spoke to Charlotte."

Will and Tessa were seated in the Institute's only carriage, Bailos and Xanthos leading them through the crowded noontime streets of London. Jem and Ying Wei had opted to walk, for which Tessa was grateful; it was an unusually hot day and even in the shade of the carriage Tessa was stifling beneath the folds of her yellow dress.

"I never claimed to be polite." Will said wryly. He tugged at the collar of his deep blue waistcoat, the heat clearly making him uncomfortable as well. Tessa glanced away, willing herself to focus on the people that churned in the streets below and not on the smooth skin at the hollow of his throat.

"Why have you brought me along anyway?" she asked casually, trying to keep her voice from betraying her thoughts. He glanced over at her.

"Are you questioning my motives?" he asked carefully.

"Running off without a trace seems to be your style." she said, not without a hint of spite. "Why bring me with you?" He was silent, staring out the window. Sunlight flooded his irises and made them glow like gemstones.

"You're a warlock as well. If he doesn't want to help me, maybe he'll help you." His voice was emotionless. Tessa felt disappointment.

Outside she heard Thomas call to the horses, and the carriage began to slow. Will sat back from the window, giving her a meaningful look.

"We're here."

Thomas helped her out of the carriage and onto the sidewalk besides Will. They were standing in front of a small wooden door that opened into a London townhouse. It wasn't very wide, but it was at least three stories tall. Identical houses stretched down the street on either side. Tessa had a hard time getting accustomed to the streets of London. Every building on every street was nearly identical, except perhaps for the style of a door or a fresh coat of paint. Tessa wondered briefly if the man living inside had the whole building to himself or merely the first floor of it. She assumed most warlocks, living as long as they do, would be very rich indeed, and as his lover was immortal as well...

She was jarred from her thoughts when she heard Thomas call out to the horses, pulling the coach off the main road and head for a side street where he could wait for them. Will mounted the single step that led to the door and rapped on it. Silence. After a moment he knocked again, a little louder this time. There was a muffled thump, followed by the sound of feet moving across the floor, and then the door opened. Magnus Bane was leaning regally against the door frame, startlingly under-dressed in an almost transparent, exotic-looking nightshirt and breeches. Tessa reddened instantly but Will seemed utterly unfazed. Magnus surveyed the two through narrowed eyes and raked a hand through his messy black hair.

"Pleasure as always." he said airily.

"We'd like your help with something." Will replied, clearly not one for small talk.

"Well of course you do. No Shadowhunter has ever banged on the door of my home just to ask if he could sit down and have a cup of tea." the warlock noted spitefully.

"Thanks, I'd love some." Will smiled angelically, and then seized Tessa's hand and pushed past Magnus and inside. The warlock gave a groan of defeat before closing and locking the door behind them. Will was making his way quickly and efficiently through Magnus' home, and Tessa had to wonder how he knew just where to go. Before she could draw any conclusions though, a lean figure darted out in front of the two of them. Tessa gave a little gasp at the creature's appearance, for it could hardly be described as a man. He was short, withered and gaunt, with green eyes, matted grey hair, and a deathly palor.

"Archer, let them pass." Magnus called, suddenly standing beside Tessa. It was only when he was directly beside her she realized how incredibly tall the warlock was. Archer looked like a child in comparison, but the servant hardly seemed scared of Magnus. Rather, he seemed to be quite angry with him.

"You shouldn't bring Shadowhunters in the house. Camille wouldn't like it." the man said, and his voice was worn and rasping.

"Yes well, any complaints Camille has she can address to me personally. Step aside."

Archer sank back into the shadows of the hall, head down but eyes sharp with anger. Will swept past him and into the room just beyond, Tessa and Magnus close behind.

"Not much of a servant is he?" Will teased.

"He's not a servant he's a subjogate, and he absolutely despises me." Magnus said bitterly. Will was already pacing eagerly back and forth, while Tessa stood just inside the doorway, aware of Archer's eyes drilling holes into her back.

"Just out of sheer curiosity, do you own anything in this house? Do you pay the rent?" Will asked, eyes raking the sitting room, which was decorated with an assortment of either very vampiresque or very womanly objects.

"My services are payment enough." Magnus said, the corner of his mouth shifting up into a grin.

"We're not talking about magic are we?"

Magnus laughed, and then his eye caught Tessa.

"I'm afraid we're making Miss Gray uncomfortable." Magnus noted, leaning against the mantel of the now cold fireplace. "What exactly are you here for?"

"That's just the thing." Tessa spoke up, "We're not sure." Magnus blinked at them for a few moments. "Of all the stupid reasons you've barged in on me William…" he muttered, and Tessa's eyes widened in surprise. So Will had been here before, and often. Standing beside her, Will's face betrayed no emotion. "Sit down and explain."

Tessa and Will sat down on a small, vividly patterned couch that sat in the center of the room, close enough to each other that she could hear the quiet breaths between the words Will spoke.

"An old friend of Jem's has come to London from Beijing. He claims he's here on business." Will opened his mouth to continue but Magnus held up a hand. He sat himself on the edge of an armchair that had seemingly just appeared in the room, folding his long legs in front of him.

"So…" he said quietly, and his eyes were sharp as flint, "You'll be after Yanluo then."

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UPDATE: I posted chapter 4 only to find out that due to technical errors with Google docs it glitched out on me and I was forced to take it down. I have chapters 4 AND 5 completely finished but will not be able to post them until I get home tomorrow! Please bear with me :p


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note:

Google Docs must die. So sorry for the delay you all, but due to formatting errors I had to take this chapter down and spend a full twenty minutes going back through and sorting through computer jargon. Thank you for your patience :') without further ado...

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"Thank God for glamours. I must stick out like a sore thumb around here."

Jem laughed. They had just reached the end of the street and were waiting patiently for a carriage to pass them by before continuing on. Ying Wei had spent the majority of their stroll gazing around in child-like wonder. He had voiced his distaste for the tight-fitting, chafing fashions of London and the air that tasted like ash and soot. He had gawked over the low-cut dresses that the women wore, exposing the tops of their breasts. Jem couldn't help but feel a little sad watching his friend experience London. When Jem had first arrived, lonely and battered, he had often found himself wishing Ying Wei could be by his side, and trying to imagine what his friend would have said about the unfamiliar land.

"Not at all." Jem reprimanded. "I'm told ladies love foreigners." His friend shrugged. "Besides, you can imagine the looks I would get." Ying Wei glanced sideways at Jem, his silver hair dazzlingly bright in the sunlight that had managed to pierce London's smog.

"When did that happen?" Ying Wei asked carefully.

"Some little time after I came to London. The ying fen has some unfortunate side effects." Jem explained, raking a hand through his hair distractedly. _He had his mother's hair, _Ying Wei thought solemnly.

"It is working, though. The drug, I mean." Jem's pace slowed, so slightly that only someone walking beside him could have noticed. He swallowed before he spoke.

"It can only prolong my life, not save it." he said quietly. Ying Wei's expression went from startled to pained. "It is well, I have accepted it." Jem added hastily. They had both stopped walking. Jem made to continue on when Ying Wei seized him by the arm.

"Do you think," he began, his gaze burning into Jem, "Yanluo could cure you?"

"He would never do that." Jem replied without a moment's hesitation.

"He would have no choice." Ying Wei muttered darkly. Jem looked at him in surprise. He took his friend's wrist where it still clung to his jacket sleeve.

"It is not wise to deal with demons." he warned. "Besides, I do not think such a thing is possible." They walked in silence for some time before Ying Wei spoke again.

"Tonight a small group of Shadowhunters are going to investigate a Downworlder tavern that the group in suspect have been seen entering frequently." Jem turned his face away, his grey eyes seeming to silver. Ying Wei backtracked quickly. "I did not mean for my arrival to cause you distress, Jem. I cannot force you to do anything. If you ask it of me, I will never speak to you about all this again." He tucked his hands in his coat pockets and sighed. "I just wanted to give you a chance to settle things." Jem remained silent. "It's changed you Jian, I know it. When we were young you were so full of life. A lot like that friend of yours, Will. Only more polite." he smiled but it quickly faded. "Maybe time has healed your wounds. Maybe not. But to finally take your revenge… I think it would ease your burden." Ying Wei could see Jem's chest rising and falling with each careful, calculated breath. At length he turned to his friend, his irises were thin and pale as the moon.

"There was a time when I thought that I had recovered." he said faintly. "But your arrival brought me back so sharply…"

"I'm sorry." Ying Wei said earnestly.

"You needn't be." Jem looked shaken, but there was determination in the set of his jaw and the arch of his brows. "You are right. This is something I must do."

Ying Wei squeezed his arm, a small smile reaching his lips.

"Then so you shall."

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The effect that the demon's name had on Will was startling. The color dropped from his face, making his blue eyes seem even more vivid, and his lips pursed.

"Yanluo's in London." he repeated.

"Well, not yet." Magnus corrected. "A group of warlocks and foolish mundanes are working together to summon him. I would assume they intend to appeal to him in order to gain demonic powers or some such nonsense. The humans, that is. The warlocks are probably just in it for the payment they're receiving." he noted scornfully. "Some people will do anything for a buck." Will was unamused by his ramblings.  
"How long have you known of this?" he demanded, hands fists on the cushion beneath him.

"I _know _nothing. However, I heard rumors of the plan just the other day."

"And you said nothing of it to the Institute or the Consul?" Tessa exclaimed. Magnus turned toward her, gaze frosty.

"I am a warlock, not a Shadowhunter spy. Besides these attempted summonings aren't rare occurrences. Occasionally a warlock will just take his payment and then claim the demon's off in some out-of-reach realm, that way they keep getting payed without having to really do anything." Noticing Will glaring at him, Magnus added, "We never claimed to be a moral."

_And I might be one of them,_ Tessa remembered unhappily. It was a realization that was so frightening she tended to push it far back into her mind.

"Where, and from who, did you find out about this?" Will asked tersely.

"Mm, so fiesty." Magnus grinned impishly. "I heard it from a faerie at the Devil's Tavern. He had a little too much liquor and started spilling stories left and right. There was one about his great aunt and a Ravener demon that was particularly delightful…" He paused and smiled vacantly, clearly remembering whatever had transpired between the two. "Anyways, he's a regular. Short, green skin, legs like a deer, literally. You can catch him if you try." Will stood abruptly.

"I'll call Thomas to bring the coach around. Wait here." he told Tessa, who had already begun to stand. He gave Magnus a particularly cold look. "Don't do anything untoward." The warlock tossed up his hands in mock surrender, and Will marched from the room. A moment later they heard the door close behind him. Magnus sprawled sideways across his wing back chair, his legs draped over one armrest and his head back on the other. Tessa fiddled with the hem of her dress, unsure of what to say, silently cursing Will for leaving her here for no apparent reason.

"Do I frighten you, Miss Gray?' Magnus asked, quite out of the blue. She hesitated for a moment before responding.

"On the contrary… I think you're quite the gentleman, when you want to be."

"And what about when I choose not to be?" he smiled, but she thought it was rather half-hearted.

"Lewd." she finished boldly. Rather than being offended, he laughed.

"When you have lived as long as I have - and you very well may if the Silent Brothers are correct about you - you will find that all those truly passionate emotions; love, anger, grief, become something of a comedy."

"I don't see the humor." she said quietly.

"No, you wouldn't. Not yet." Tessa glanced over at the doorway, hoping Will would return soon. "Over time, the colors of emotion fade…" he had trailed off, gazing into the cold, grey ashes that remained in the fireplace.

_Is this what I am destined to become?_ Tessa thought sadly.

"For someone who claims to be bled dry of feeling, you have a certain fondness for the Institute's Shadowhunters." she pointed out. Magnus met her gaze, seemingly surprised with her observation.

"When your life has no measure, you measure it in the lives of others." His statement was so profound Tessa had nothing more to say, and gratefully she didn't have to, as Will entered the parlor a moment later.

"She kept me in line." Magnus assured him before Will could make a comment. Will smirked, helping Tessa up with a hand.

"Thomas is waiting." he said, leading her out of the room without a word to Magnus. Just at the doorway Tessa turned back.

"You're a good man, Magnus.

"Oh, I hope not. How terribly dull." he sighed, but when Will wasn't watching he threw her a wink.

"The day Magnus Bane deserves to be called a good man will be the day demon pox is cured." Will scowled, helping Tessa into the coach while Archer glared at them from the front window.  
"It doesn't exist Will." she said for the hundredth time.  
"Precisely."

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Author's note: So this chapter was pretty light, and short, but don't worry the next one is done already and will be up tomorrow! :) Coming up next Will does some Sherlock Holmes sleuthing ;O


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: I just wanted to say thank you for all the reviewers out there! Firstly you guys caught my glitchy chapter, and secondly you guys have not only kept me going but also given me new ideas to throw in there. So here we go, Chapter 5, otherwise known as the one in which there is action!

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Will pulled the collar of his traveling coat up and over his cheeks. The wind was surprisingly cool, and it reddened the tip of his nose and tangled the fly-away hairs that curled around his ears. Late as it was only a few people passed him, their faces shadowed under the glare of the streetlamps. He turned the corner of a street, and there in the distance two cloaked figures were hurrying along the street. Ying Wei and Jem, as he knew them to be. His eyes narrowed, and he pursued.

The carriage ride home from Magnus' home had been a quiet one. Tessa has gazed out the window calmly, so calmly he wouldn't have known she was upset but for the way she had pressed her small hand hard against the glass. When they returned to the Institute they had eaten a mid-day meal with everyone else, including Jem and Ying Wei, who had apparently returned not ten minutes before them. The rest of the day passed in relative calm until Jem and Ying Wei politely excused themselves right around supper time and left the Institute for unknown reasons. Will, naturally, snuck out and pursued them. They had chosen to travel on foot again, which Will could only assume was so Thomas wouldn't be able to tell Charlotte their destination. The whole business made Will feel vaguely ill. He had been sure Jem would just explain the whole matter to him, and when he refused it surprised Will so much that he was now, for lack of a better way to put it, sulking. As much as he longed to simply force Jem into giving an explanation he feared it would upset his friend even more than he already was. And in a way Tessa had been right; he was jealous, and hurt that Jem had hardly spoken a word to him in the past two days.

Tessa.

She had insisted on coming with him of course, pointing out that she could easily transform into someone else should a problem arise, and even promising that she would run home immediately if anything happened, although he doubted she had any intention of keeping that promise. Still, Will had refused to let her come, and by some miracle she had listened.

Will shook her from his mind, watching the two slip into an alley and darting quickly after them. He crouched at the corner, listening. Voices rose up from the shadows.

"… just on the other side of this street..."

"Move in, lock the place down and start asking questions…"

Will waited until the footsteps faded completely and then darted through the shadows as skillfully as a cat. When he reached the other end he looked left, then right, and quickly spotted a group moving rapidly down the main road. They were Shadowhunters in full gear, and atleast six of them, not including Jem and Ying Wei who walked slightly behind the others. His eyes widened when he realized where they were headed. Devil's Tavern loomed at the end of the street, shimmering faintly, the telltale trace of a glamour. It was squat, wooden and run-down. Outside a scattering of Downworlders leaned against the siding, chattering with each other. In truth Will had only been here once, on an official investigation, although his reputation at the Institute would make the place out to be a frequent haunt of his.

He lingered in the street, watching as the Shadowhunters approached. From a distance he heard raised voices and saw the Downworlders marched inside, the Shadowhunters following closely behind. Two stood guard at the door while the others slipped inside and closed the place up. Will hesitated. If he pursued the others would surely see him, and he got the impression this was something he wasn't meant to know about. Will kept his head down and moved to the side of the building, careful not to show he was aware of what lay past the glamours. The two Shadowhunters glanced at him briefly, but in the cover of his cloak he looked the same as any passer-by and they payed him little attention. He moved past the edge of the building and out of sight before moving over to the nearest window, which was locked and covered by thick blue curtains. Pulling his stele free he carved an open rune across the windowsill and lifted it as quietly as possible. Voices were audible in the room, though he couldn't see in.

"Stay against the wall. We'll call you in one by one. I promise it will be a painless process, unless you choose not to cooperate." There was the sound of a door closing, followed by low snarls and murmurs of discontent. Slowly he drew back the edge of a curtain, peering through a thin opening into the room beyond. The Downworld customers of the tavern were lined against the far wall facing Will, their faces twisted in scowls and sneers of rage. Shadowhunters, their backs to the window, paced along the row. Will scanned the room but he didn't see anyone matching Jem or Ying Wei's appearance. He quickly sealed the window back up and strode purposefully around the corner and to the front door, startling the guards.

"No one goes in." the first one boomed, and Will thought perhaps he had heard the voice before at a meeting or a Christmas party. He hoped the guard wouldn't recognize him as one of the infamous wards of the London Institute. Will pushed up the sleeves of his cloak, brandishing his marks for the two to see.

"Message from Benedict Lightwood to Ying Wei of the Shanghai Institute." He said with a serene smile.

"At a time like this?" The guard eyed him skeptically.

"It is in regards to the interrogations."

The guards glanced between each other but reluctantly opened the door and ushered Will inside.

"They're in a room off the back hall." The first said, nodding towards a door before snapping the door shut behind Will. All eyes turned towards him, the curious glances of the Shadowhunters and the vicious glares of the Downworlders. Seraph blades glinted at the Nephilim's waists, an unvoiced threat. He strode past, not meeting anyone's gaze, and no one questioned him even when he vanished into the back hallway. There were three doors, but light spilled from only one. He pressed his ear to the thin wall and listened.

"… if you've seen them, or have heard anything about them, we'd reward you for your information."

"Look I can't help you. I just came tonight cause my pal out there brought me along." The second voice was hoarse and nervous. There was a steady silence, and then a lengthy sigh. "Let him go."

Will flattened himself against the wall just as a figure emerged beside him and made its way briskly down the hall. As the door swung slowly closed he chanced a glance inside. A flash of silver caught his eye and he startled. There in the far corner of the room was Jem, looking tense, his face down turned. It was all Will could do not to charge in as the door clicked closed, obscuring his friend from view. He was about to continue listening when the Downworlder caught his attention.

He was walking away from Will, unaware of his presence, his feet clacking loudly on the wood floor. It was that observation that had caught his attention, and he glanced down at the stranger's feet. Only they were not feet at all, but a pair of cloven hooves connected to legs blanketed in fur and curved backwards like that of a deer. His skin was green, and his hair pale in the dim light. It was the fairie Magnus had spoken of.

Without so much as a second glance Will darted forward, wrapping one arm around the creature's throat and slapping a hand over it's mouth. It thrashed, it's inhuman legs providing enough force to throw both of them to the floor. Will wrestled the fairie up and dragged it into the next room over, muttering and snarling against Will's palm. He shoved with all his force, throwing it hard against the far wall and giving him enough time to close the door and scrawl two deftly placed seals on the door; one to deaden sound and one to seal the room. The fairie staggered to his feet, screeching in a language that Will knew only a few words of, none of which pleasant. It whirled, charging for the window directly behind them.

"Don't bother. We're sealed off from the inside completely." he said calmly.

"Filthy Nephilim treachery!" it snarled. "Breaking in, holding us against our wills-" he stopped suddenly, as Will had extracted a misericord from his coat and was holding the blade exposed in the cold moonlight that poured in from the window.

"I know the group you were questioned about has been coming in and out for awhile now. I also know your friends with one of the warlocks, had a little too much to drink one night and let a few things slide." The fairie's black eyes widened.

"How could you know?" he barked.

"It isn't Nephilim treachery you should concern yourself with. " Will said with a cold smile, and stepped closer, backing the fairie into a wall.

"I know what you want." The fairie spat. "You want to know where they are, when they plan to summon the demon."

"You're very perceptive." Will drawled.

"They would offer me a great deal to keep their secret."

"I'm offering you your life." Will's eyes sparked like lightning in the darkness, dangerous and beautiful. The fairie squirmed, pinned against the window pane. The misericord now gleamed just against it's throat. Will could see his windpipe bob as he swallowed.

"Alright. Alright." he let out a steadying breath. "I don't know when it's happening, he never told me. But I know they've been making preparations in an abandoned dockyard along the Thames." Will nodded, moving the blade away slightly.

"Names." He ordered. The fairie opened his mouth, and then there was a deafening crash as the window exploded into a million shattered pieces. Will gasped, a sharp pain blossoming in his shoulder. The fairie was crouched on the floor, shaking in fright. Standing just outside the window was a shadowed figure, hand raised, magical fire flickering from his fingertips. Will glanced down at his shoulder, where his clothes had burned away exposing a raw and bloody wound. He gritted his teeth and took a running leap toward the window. The figure turned and ran just as Will landed outside on the street, stumbling as his boots slid on shards of glass. He chased the fleeing form down the street while wrestling a throwing knife from the belt hidden beneath his coat. Will balanced a blade between his fingertips, took aim and threw.

The warlock staggered as it hit, sinking between his ribs. Will made to dash forward when a jolt of searing pain shot up his side, and he crumpled to the ground as if his legs had turned to lead weights. He cried out, slumping painfully against the brick wall beside him. Through narrowed eyes he saw the warlock shuffle around a corner and out of sight. His vision blurred, the yellow lamplight streaking and spiraling across a blue-black sky. He pressed his head forcefully against his hands, taking a shuddering breath, before the colors of the world dropped away into darkness.

Jem stood in the corner, his back pressed to the wall. The Shadowhunters had taken over a small dining room in the back, presumably where the owners of the tavern ate their meals. The leader of the group, a Shadowhunter Jem had never met before, was crouched in a chair facing the next Downworlder called in for interrogation.

"The dockyard you said." he repeated, giving the Downworlder a glare that dared him to look away.

"That's right."

"When?"

Ying Wei was standing beside Jem, fists clenched at his sides. Jem found himself wishing quite suddenly that Will were here. He would have a clever remark to cut through the tension eating at Jem's nerves.

"They didn't say."

"Are you sure? Think long and hard now…" The Shadowhunter shifted his hand just slightly to his weapons belt, fingers brushing the hilt of his seraph blade. The Downworlder, a werewolf by the looks of it, gulped.

"They were talking about a certain day that they had to do it, some day that would make the summoning more powerful." the werewolf stammered nervously. The interrogator nodded slowly, standing.

"Send him back out and tell the rest of them to go home."

Two men escorted the Downworlder from the room. Jem stood up straight, locking gazes with interrogator.

"It's the equinox isn't it? That's the day he was talking about."

"I believe so."

"But surely they would want the demon weaker, not stronger. That way it would be easier to keep under control -" Jem's voice caught in his throat. The Shadowhunters turned to him, eyes widening.

"Jem, what…" Ying Wei began, panicked. Jem's hand clutched his shoulder, clawing at the skin beneath his shirt sleeve. The other Shadowhunters went rigid. He pulled back the collar of his shirt, revealing the parabatai mark that burned against his skin. "I must get back."

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Next chapter were finally gonna get a Will and Jem confrontation :3 R & R friends


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